Rayner’s bizarre trip to Ethiopia and Ghana last month raised a few eyebrows in SW1. The ostensible aim of the multi-day trip was to “demonstrate the UK’ s commitment to the region and promote ambitions for partnerships and mutual economic growth”…
While in Addis Ababa, throughout which her face was projected onto giant billboards, the Deputy PM “attended a fashion show for the work of young female designers” and discussed “opportunities to co-operate on artificial intelligence” before heading to Ghana to “pledge to deepen UK-Ghana ties, drive job creation, and back Ghana’s 24-hour economy policy to enhance living standards.” Usually these trips come with some kind of funding or investment announcement – not so in this case…
Rayner’s promotional video for her Ethiopia trip has managed to get 50 views on YouTube. Guido has established that Rayner and her pack of officials took “a combination of business and economy flights” totalling a cool £20,151.52. No RAF private jet – commendable. So packed was Rayner’s schedule for the important trip that she managed to brief UK-based Labour activists via Zoom on how to effectively promote her union bill while she was there…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”